'My Cup is Running Over' Dawn Staley Says

South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley says she's feeling unbelievably blessed as she's reached the pinnacle of women's college basketball, leading the team to a national title.

Author:
wltx

Published:
8:51 PM EDT April 9, 2017

Updated:
8:51 PM EDT April 9, 2017

Columbia, SC (WLTX) - South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley says she's feeling unbelievably blessed as she's reached the pinnacle of women's college basketball, leading the team to a national title.

Staley spoke to a crowd of thousands during Sunday's national championship celebration in Downtown Columbia Sunday afternoon.

"My cup is running over!" she told the audience.

A week earlier, Staley and the Gamecocks won their first ever national championship in basketball. In nine years with the program, she's turned the team from a squad that she admits could only draw about 500 fans to a game to one that leads the nation in attendance.

"No one outside this state believed we would be standing here right now," she said.

Since she won, she hasn't taken off the nets from the rim that she cut down after the game, except for when she sleeps, and once to let her mom try it on. She says it has a significance, because she's like to give a piece to everyone--figuratively, of course.

"If you have any kind of belief, any kind of work ethic, any kind of hope, it represents that," Staley said. "Because that's what it took for us to win a national championship."

She also used the stage to thank the school, the fans, her mentors, even former Gov. Nikki Haley for taking down the Confederate flag from the State House grounds. And she also said how her faith and believe in the Lord has helped her achieve.

"What's delayed is not denied, "she said. "The Lord works in mysterious ways. You better find him, because he answers. To God be the glory."